Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Imphal: Manipur athlete Huidrom Bhumeswori will join the 54-member Indian contingent for the Asian Under-23 Athletics Championship. The event takes place in Ordos, China, from July 9 to 12, 2026. Bhumeswori is set to compete in the women's 800m and 1500m middle-distance events.
Her selection follows a string of strong national results. She earned gold medals in the 800m at the 2025 Indian Grand Prix and the 1500m at the 2025 Open Athletics Meet. Additionally, she secured a silver medal in the 800m at the 64th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championship earlier this year.
A native of Huidrom Awang Leikai, Bhumeswori began her career at the Sports Authority of India centre in Imphal. After the centre closed its athletics program, she moved to Bhopal to advance her training. She later joined the IOCL Project Shakti programme, an initiative designed to prepare top talent for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Supporters at her original training center have expressed pride in her achievements, noting that her selection "marks another significant milestone in her athletic career and highlights the growing contribution of athletes from the Northeast to Indian athletics."
Bhumeswori currently trains at the SAI National Centre of Excellence in Bangalore under the instruction of coach Claudio Pannozzo. She heads to the continental competition aiming to leverage her recent success to make an impact on the international stage.
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